Afghanistan

Context at a glance

A typical Habitat for Humanity "First Shelter" house in Afghanistan

A vast, dry and mountainous land stretching northwest of Pakistan and to the east of Iran, Afghanistan is tentatively emerging from decades of war and civil unrest.

At least one third of Afghans live in substandard housing. Half a million homes were destroyed in major cities in the long years of war, according to the United Nations. The scale of destruction in rural areas is less well documented, but just as bad.

Since the fall of the Taliban government and with the increasingly peaceful environment, demand for housing has grown rapidly. More than two million refugees have returned from overseas; others, displaced to other parts of Afghanistan, have also returned to their homes. The influx has pushed up the prices of land and construction materials. These pressures are particularly acute in urban areas where three out of four Afghans live in poverty. Lack of clean water is common. Electricity is intermittently available in urban areas and non-existent in most rural areas.

Since there is no formal loan or banking system, low-income Afghan families cannot apply for assistance with housing.

Habitat for Humanity programme

Habitat for Humanity began its Afghan programme in the northern province of Balkh in 2002. Habitat provides "First Shelter" homes for families in desperate need of immediate shelter. With no mortgage repayments available to finance First Shelter homes, costs are kept low by involving families and communities in construction.

First Shelter homes use traditional mud bricks, mud and straw plastering, wooden doors and windows. Each house measures about 36 square metres. The buildings are designed to include two large areas where people can work and earn a living, for example by carpet weaving, with a traditional doomed roof to enhance temperature control.

HFH Afghanistan plans to establish a building and training centre to make concrete blocks and a "Save and Build" concept where groups of families can save together and building can start more quickly so families can be helped as soon as possible.

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